Multielectrode gas discharge electric sign



Dec. 6, 1949 T. R. wELcH 2,490,182

MULTIELECTRODE GAS DISCHARGE ELECTRIC' SIGN Filed Dec. 28, 1945 I4 la l2 wa le 30 0 2 20a 47"' n22i) 6 ee 30 59 es) e5) A 2 7,- 82 as 6772 66 44 32 39 as es 64a Il 9 l 30 'l I4 I6 66 S83 65) 7| 38 :29. 63 a i?? es m: s 55 1641 'o n l 6 I4 A |6 65 69 20c 6 6,5 H 7| 73 72 I T se 3| I5 wd le 64a 5| so f l S |4 uit? 66 f ,20d 63 i-- 7| 5B 45 @s es s? 3| 55 d zal we le .I 25

L 64d I4 22 5 5 b'/ n) C 48 55 -J wld sa lesl INVENToR., THOMAS Ross wl-:LcH

, ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIELECTRODE GAS DISCHARGE ELECTRIC SIGN Thomas Ross Welch, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 28, 1945, Serial No. 637,711

3 Claims.

My invention relates to electric signs of the type having glow tubes, such as neon tubes arranged so that by the selected illumination thereof different characters or letters will be displayed, this end was the object of my earlier invention that issued into Patent Number 2,290,261, July 21, 1942, and the present invention relates in particular to a simple means for supporting and controlling the energization of the glow tube.

In signs of this type gas filled tubes are employed. In the present invention these tubes, which are made of glass, are provided with rearwardly extended portions, referred to herein as legs, which legs are projected into or through openings in a support such as a vertical panel. The tubes are supported on the front face of the panel and control switches are mounted on the rear face of the panel in close proximity to the electrodes carried within the legs of the glow tubes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a sign device of the above character wherein the glow tubes are mounted on the front face of the panel and the control switches are mounted on the rear face of the panel on lines extending between cooperating pairs of electrodes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a panel having a plurality of electromagnetically operated control switches mounted on the rear face thereof, with a plurality of letter formers secured to the front face of the panel, such letter formers comprising glow tubes having cooperating electrodes which are connected to the control switches.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple form of magnetically operated relay or control switch which may be conveniently secured to the rear face of a panel and has terminals for connection to the high voltage conductors whicn in turn are connected to the electrodes of the glow tube, this control switch having exposed terminals spaced widely apart so that the danger of the high voltage current jumping from one terminal to another is minimized.

It is a further object to provide a simple sign unit wherein the tubes are mounted on the front face of the panel and have rearwardly faced electrodes, with control relay switches secured to the back of the panel, in such positions that each switch will be disposed between the two electrodes of the glow tube arrangement which the switch serves, such relay switch having a relatively slender body with means for supporting it in a position projecting normal to the inner face of the panel, thereby making it possible to place 2 the switches between electrodes which are spaced relatively close together due to the reduced length of the glow tube sections which the electrodes serve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relay switch including a hollow body of insulating material, such body being preferably of a form' of a cylindrical or tubular shell, having a dividing wall intermediate its ends so as to form within the shell a pair of isolated chambers, one of which chambers contains an electromagnet with the poles thereof in close proximity to the dividing wall, and the other chamber contains a switch which is arranged to be actuated by an armature placed adjacent the other face of the dividing wall and in such position that energization of the electromagnet will cause movement of the armature whereby to actuate the switch.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an electromagnetic relay or control switch having a shell of insulating material, such as one of the molded insulating compounds, this shell providing an opening in which the electromagnet may be sealed in such position that the pole pieces thereof may lie adjacent to or in contact with a wall of insulating material, and means for supporting an armature actuated switch on the opposite side of the wall from the electromagnet, together with means for covering the armature actuated switch and at the same time permitting ready attachment of conductors to the parts of the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple form of magnetically operated relay or control switch which may be secured to the rear face of a panel and has terminals for connection to the high voltage conductors which in turn are connected to the electrodes of the glow tubes, this control switch having widely spaced exposed terminals and a safety means comprising a bowed spring element having one end fixed to one of said terminals and its free end held in contact with said lterminal by a fuse means and adapted to move into control with the opposite terminal when said fuse means is melted because of an excessive high voltage current through said terminals.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in 'the following part of the speciiication.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a vertically sectioned side view of a portion of a sign device according to my present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the control switches 25 shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the right end of Fig. 2, with the cover member removed.

In Fig. 1 I show a panel I I with a glow tube means I2 supported by insulator I2a, of Well known construction, adjacent the front face I3 of the panel, this glow tube I2, liayingv rearwardly extending tubular legs I4 which projectV towardj the panel and preferably extend through openings I5 in the panel. The panel I I may be made of any suitable material. Whether it is to be made of an insulating materiali or` of. a non-in.- sulating material such as sheet metal, will of course depend upon how close the terminals IE for the electrodes I1 are to the face of the panel. In Fig. 1 I show the legs I4 as being of such length that they will project entirely through the-openings I5 and support the terminals I3 at a distance from the rear face I8 of the panel II.

The electrodes I1 divide the glow tube I2 into a plurality of sections 23a., 20h, 20c, and 25d.

From a suitable source of electrical energy, such as a transformer 2I, conductors 22 and 23 are connected4 to the end terminals I6 of the glow tube I2 so that when a switch 24, associated with the conductors 22' and 23 connecting the source of electrical' energy to the transformer 2|, is closed, all4 ofthe sections 20 ofthe glow tube I2 may be energized in series. Control switches 25, specifically indicated as 25a, 25h, 25e, and 25d, are secured to the rear face ofA the panel II essentially aligned withthe sections 29a, to Zild, respectively. TheV electrodes I1 are specifically identied as I1a, I1b, I1c, Hd, and Ile, and the control'switches 25 are respectively connected to these electrodes, through` the associated terminals I6, soV that the sections 2Il may be selectively bridged or shorted out of the series circuit formed in part by the conductors 2,2y and,v 23. For example, the control switch 25a is connected through conductors 39; andSIwith the electrode I1a and Ilb ofthe section a. I f'the control switch 25a is closed, the section 20c will be bridged so that current from the conductor 23'may ow'directly from the upper terminal I6' through the conductors 30A and 3I to the terminal associated with the electrode Hb, and if the switches o, 25o, and25d are at this time open, the energizing current or potential will ow through the sections 25C. and 29d to the electrode I1e, which has connection through a terminal, I6 with the con-Y ductor 22. Accordingly, by suitableY actuation of the control switches 25 selectedY sections 2l of the` glow tube I2 may be bridged or'shorted out of the circuit so that such sections willV remain dark while the'remaining non-bridged'section 23 will be illuminated upon closing of the switch 24.

In the preferred practice of the invention 1 employ control switches 25ewhich are of relatively slender form so thatv they may be secured in rearwardly extending position on the rear face I8 or the-panel I I and' betweenadjacent openings I5; Asshown-in Fig. 2; the control switch 25a, comprises a shell havingatubular wall 32 of insulating material supporting-a transverse wall 33 preferably disposed intermediate the ends of the wallV 32 so that'twochambers'34 and 35' are formed in the shell. T-he shell may be molded from a suitable insulating material such as Bakelite, and the outer end'ofthe wall 32 may be provided with a radial flangev 36.

The inner chamber. 34; which -isishown as-having greater; axial length thanthefother chamber 35, receives an electromagnet 31 comprising..

a core 38 with end pieces 39 and 40 forming a spool to carry a winding 4I. To the rear end of the core 38 a flat metal eld piece 43 is secured, this eld piece 43 being bent so as to lie along one side of the electromagnet and provide a magnetic pole 44 adjacent pole 45 formed by the front end of the core 38. The electromagnet 31 may be secured in the rear chamber 34 by means of a screw.y 4.6 which passes throughA ai. bracket 41, through an opening in the Wall 32, and threads into the eld piece 43. The electromagnet 31 may be sealed in the chamber 34 by pouring a 'body or wall 46 of pitch material or compound intothe rear end of the chamber 34 so as to cover, the rear end of the electromagnet 31, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. The poles 44 and 45; ofthe electromagnet 31 preferably rest in depressions 41 in the transverse wall 33 facing the chamber 34.

The outer or front chamber 35 contains a magnetically actuated" switch 4B4 including anarma* ture 49 which may bea rectangular pieceofflat soft iron; disposed: in spaced: relation to the wall 33', and in such position that when the electromagnet 31' is energized, thel magnetic ilux will attract'the armature 49 toward the poles 44 and 45. The armatureV 'is supported by a resilient member 5l preferably made from a flat strip of hard brass or bronze bentj toI Z-shaped form so that its inner end 53 may be secured asby means of rivets: 54 to oneend of theiarmature 49" and the outer end 55 thereof' will-lie across the outer face of the flange 36. The end ofthe armature 49- opposite the supporting member 5I' may be provided with a contact 56 adapted to'lengage the innerendf51` of' a contact member'58- formed-from a flat strip of metal tov such-shape that the outerportion 59 thereofwill lie across the outer face ofthe flange 35 inaposition substantially diametrically opposite the outer portion 55 of the member 5 I Asshownin` Fig.- 2, the supporting membery 5I' normally holds the'armature-43in such position thatthe4 contact 56-A will beheld with pressurel against-theinner-end51iof-the-member 58. When the electromagnet 34; is'V energized, the armature 49 will be moved to carry the'contact 56 out of engagement#withtheend 51; Actuation'of thev switch 48- may be considered either the closing movement or' the openingmovement thereof, or-

both asmay be-desired. For example, the switchl maybe' held magnetically `in open condition, and it may be-actuated byrdiscontinuance -of the magnetic force of the electromagnet 31 to release the` armature 49==so as toclosethe switch 48. In Fig. 1 I show a-source of 'electric'current'in the form of a battery lil-fromwhichaconductorV 62 extendsforconnectionto eachof the electromagnets31 ofthe control switches 25: ThisV conductor 62 GO'may be connected tol eachof the leads 63 fromthe electromagnetsf Separate conductors 64 spe-A cicallyidentied'as 64a, 64b, 64e, and 64d, are connected throughswitches a, b, c, d, with thev battery 6 I These-conductors 64 are respectively ,connected tothe-remainingleads 65= of 'the electromagnets 31; shownA in Fig.v 2, solthat by selec-v tive closing andopening ofthe-switches a, b, c, d, the electromagnets 31may be energized'or deenergiaed in accordance with aselected plan ofA bridging unbridging the glow tube sections 20a, 20h', 20c, andl20d.:

Each oneof the control switches-25 is provided with a safety device-forJ closing the circuit throughthelmagnetically actuated -switches 48 if 'the-contacts-:of:A anyloffthe switches are burned out 're-- sulting from an excessive current temporarily passing through the leads 30 and 3|, which would short out the circuit so that the section of the glow tube |2 controlled thereby would remain dark. This safety device, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a spring member 80 having one end connected to the contact member 58 and then bowed with its free end 8| held in place in a recess 82 provided in the contact member 58 by a fuse element 83. If the contacts 56 and 51 are burned out by excessive current temporarily passing through the leads 30 and 3|, the fuse element 83 will melt, permitting the free end 8| of the spring member 80 to move into engagement with the contact to bridge the section between the burned out contacts 5| and 58, thus closing the series circuit through the control switch 25 to restore the switch 25 to an operative condition.

Screw means 66 are provided for securing the members 5| and 58 in the positions thereof shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These screw means each has a head or nut 61 intermediate the ends thereof to respectively bear against the outer portions 55 and 59 of the members 5| and 58 when nuts 68 are applied to the ends of the screw means which are projected through openings in the iiange 36. The outer portions 69 of the screw means 66 serve in conjunction with nuts 10 to secure a cover 1| against the outer face of the flange 36 so as to close and seal the switch chamber 35. The cover 1| has openings 12 through which the outer portion 69 of the screw means 66 pass, and the `cover 1| may have a cylindrical lip 13 to extend around the edge face of the flange 36.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an illuminable sign of the character described, the combinationl of: a supporting panel; a glow tube means mounted on the iront face of said panel, said glow tube means having spaced electrodes dividing said glow tube means into sections; legs on said glow tube means embodying said electrodes and extending through said panel to place the terminals of said electrodes in spaced relation to the rear face of said panel, means connecting said electrodes in series in an energized circuit; control switches mounted on the rear face of said panel, each of said switches being connected to the electrodes at the ends of a section of said glow tube means, each of said switches having an electromagnet for its operation operated by low voltage means; and control circuits connected to said electromagnets of said switches whereby said switches may be actuated and selected sections of said glow tube means bridged.

2. In an illuminable sign of the character described, the combination of: a supporting panel having openings therein; glow tube means having rearwardly extending legs dividing the same into sections, said legs having electrodes therein; means for mounting said glow tube means on the front face of said panel with its extended legs projecting through said openings in said panel to place the terminals of said electrodes in spaced relation to the rear face of said panel; means for connecting said electrodes in series with a high voltage energizing circuit, control switches mounted on the rear face of said panel adjacent to respective pairs of said electrodes, each of said switches having an electromagnet for its operation; means for connecting each of said control switches to said pair of electrodes dening a section of said glow tube means; and low voltage control circuits connected to said electromagnets of said control switches whereby said control switches may be actuated and selected sections of said glow tube means bridged.

3. In an illuminable sign of the character described, the combination of; glow tube means having rearwardly extending legs dividing the same into sections; said legs having electrodes therein; means for mounting said glow tube means on the front face of said panel with its extended legs projecting through said openings in panel to place the terminals of said electrodes in spaced relation to the rear face of said panel means for connecting said electrodes in series with an energizing circuit; control switches, each having an electromagnet for its operation, mounted on the rear face of said panel, each switch positioned substantially between a pair of electrodes defining the section of said glow tube means it operates; and control circuits connected to the electromagnets of said control switches whereby said control switches may be actuated and selected sections of said glow tube means bridged.

THOMAS ROSS WELCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,920,135 Allen July 25, 1933 1,965,206 Tarbox July 3, 1934 2,087,674 Nelson et al. July 20, 1935 2,290,261 Welch July 21, 1942 2,295,869 Seaman Sept. 15, 1942 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,490,182 Y December 6, 1949 THOMAS ROSS WELCH It is hereby certiied that errors appear in the printed speoication of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 8, line 6, for the Word insulator read insulators; line 42, for electrode read electrodes; column 6, line 53, list of references cited, for July 20, 1935 read July 20, 1987;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oce.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of April, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

